1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a peeling apparatus and a peeling method for peeling one of a first object and a second object which are affixed to each other to be integral with each other from the other, and a method of manufacturing an information recording medium using the peeling method.
2. Description of the Related Art
For example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2005-153091 discloses a transfer apparatus (transfer method) that presses a stamper against a substrate having a polystyrene resin film formed on a silicon wafer and peels the stamper off the substrate, to thereby transfer a concave/convex pattern of the stamper to a surface of the substrate. This transfer apparatus is provided with a positioning unit for pressing the stamper against the substrate, a pressure unit, a peeling unit for peeling the stamper off the substrate, and so forth. When the transfer apparatus is used to perform a process for transferring the concave/convex pattern, first, the stamper and the substrate, which are brought into intimate contact with each other in a state positioned with respect to each other by the positioning unit, are conveyed to the pressure unit, and are pressurized (pressed) in a vacuum chamber while being heated to a predetermined temperature. Next, the pressurized substrate and stamper are cooled, and then in this state, they are conveyed to the peeling unit, and are set between an attracting stage and an attracting head.
Next, the substrate is fixed to the attracting stage by attracting the back surface thereof (surface of the substrate opposite from the surface affixed to the stamper) to the attracting stage, and the foremost end of a peeling wedge disposed on the attracting stage is inserted into an interface between the substrate and the stamper. Subsequently, a head supporting plate is lowered to bring the attracting head into contact with the back surface of the stamper (surface of the stamper opposite from the surface affixed to the substrate). In this state, the stamper is fixed to the attracting head (the head supporting plate) by attracting the back surface of the stamper to the attracting head, and the foremost end of a peeling wedge disposed on the head supporting plate is inserted into the interface between the substrate and the stamper. In this state, the head supporting plate is inclined at an angle of approximately 1 to 10 degrees with respect to the attracting stage, whereby the stamper fixed to the head supporting plate is peeled off the substrate fixed to the attracting stage. This transfers the concave/convex pattern of the stamper to the substrate to complete a sequence of operations of the transfer process.